Apparatus for assembling hull modules

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for assembling hull modules of the type of the gantry crane in which the span can be expanded according to enlargement of the hull module.

United States me 11 1 Maeda Nov. 26, 1974 APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING HULL [56] References Cited MODULES UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Kazuo Maeda, Chiba, Japan 3,259,250 7/1966 Parker et al. 212/13 3,389,809 6/1968 Wilson 212 10 Asslgneel M shlpblllldmg and Engineering 3,490,385 1 1970 Gibbins et a1 212 13 L -1 Chuoku, Tokyo, Japan 3,520,514 7/1970 Evans 212/13 3,602,375 8/1971 Martinson... [22] Wed 1973 3,675,786 7/1972 Wilson 212/11 [21] Appl. No.: 354 102 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Assistant Examiner-Jeffrey V. Nase [30] A sg l gf g Priority Data 47 42775 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Howson and Howson pr. apan [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 212/145, 212/13 Apparatus for assembling hull modules of the p of [51] Int. Cl. 366a 23/78 th t h th b d d [58] Field of Search 212/13, 14, 18, 145, 10, 8 ry crane W 6 can 6 6 according to enlargement of the hull module.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEL 26 FIG. 1

FIG. 2-

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING HULL MODULES This invention relates to an apparatus for assembling hull modules for ship building.

Generally, an installation equipped with cranes and scaffolds required for assembling the hull modules for ship building is extremely large, but it sometimes occurs that a module to be assembled is too much enlarged to be placed in the installation. In such case, it is very uneconomical to build up another similar installation which is large enough to assemble such a large module.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved module assembling apparatus which can be enlarged per se according to enlargement of the hull module to be assembled.

The apparatus or fixture according to the present invention comprises at least two pairs of supports provided in opposed relation to each other, rails provided on said supports of opposite sides, a movable beam which can move on said rails, and a trolley moving along said movable beam, each of said supports having pivotally provided an auxiliary support, and said auxiliary support being detachably secured to the ground. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Referring to the drawings, two supports provided on each side in opposed relation are pivotally hinged on the ground as at 2. In the inside of the lower part of each support 1 is pivotally hinged at 4 an auxiliary support 3 of which the lower end is detachably anchored to the ground by a fastening means 5. Each of said auxiliary supports is provided with a length adjusting means'6. On the top of the supports of each side, the longitudinal beams 7 and rails 8 are mounted and also horizontal beams 9 are provided over each pair of support. Placed on the rails 8 is a movable beam 11 on which a trolley 12 carrying a hoist thereon is movably provided. Extending inwardly from each support 1 is a supporting arm 13 on which a means 15 for holding and fixing a hull module 14 to be assembled, a working scaffold 16 and other associated elements are mounted. The hull module 14 is to be assembled by the present apparatus on the bed plates 17.

In case the hull module 14 is excessively enlarged and cannot be placed between the opposed supports, the horizontal beams 9 and movable beam 11 are demounted and then the auxiliary support 3 are detached from the fastening means 5 and fastened to the outwardly positioned securing means 5a as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1, whereby the space between the opposed supports is expanded. Thus, horizontal and movable beams for the expanded space are mounted, and there is provided an installation large enough to allow assembling of the large-sized hull module.

In view of the foregoing, the apparatus according to the present invention can be expanded with ease to meet enlargement of the hull module to be assembled.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for use in assembling hull modules for shipbuilding, comprising at least one pair of upwardlyextending spaced-apart main supports each supported on the ground, rail means on each of said main supports, beam means extending between said main supports and supported on said rail means for motion along said rails, the region between said main supports and beneath said beam means being adapted to hold hull modules during assembly, the improvement wherein:

at least one of said main supports is pivotably anchored to the ground at one end thereof so as to be pivotable toward and away from the other of said main supports;

said apparatus comprising anchor means secured to the ground between said main supports, and auxiliary support means pivotably secured to said anchor means and to said at least one main support for supporting said one main support in predetermined angular positions;

said anchoring means comprising at least two anchor devices secured to the ground within said region at different distances from the bottom of said one main support;

said auxiliary support means being detachably securable to either of said anchor devices to permit change in the angle of support of said one main support thereby to change the available space within said region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which both of said main supports are pivotable at one end, toward and away from each other; in which said auxiliary support means comprise at least two auxiliary support members, one for each of said main supports; and in which said anchoring means comprise at least four anchor devices, two adjacent one of said main supports and detachably securable to one of said auxiliary support members and two others adjacent the other of said main supports and detachably securable to the other of said auxiliary support members. 

1. In apparatus for use in assembling hull modules for shipbuilding, comprising at least one pair of upwardly-extending spaced-apart main supports each supported on the ground, rail means on each of said main supports, beam means extending between said maIn supports and supported on said rail means for motion along said rails, the region between said main supports and beneath said beam means being adapted to hold hull modules during assembly, the improvement wherein: at least one of said main supports is pivotably anchored to the ground at one end thereof so as to be pivotable toward and away from the other of said main supports; said apparatus comprising anchor means secured to the ground between said main supports, and auxiliary support means pivotably secured to said anchor means and to said at least one main support for supporting said one main support in predetermined angular positions; said anchoring means comprising at least two anchor devices secured to the ground within said region at different distances from the bottom of said one main support; said auxiliary support means being detachably securable to either of said anchor devices to permit change in the angle of support of said one main support thereby to change the available space within said region.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which both of said main supports are pivotable at one end, toward and away from each other; in which said auxiliary support means comprise at least two auxiliary support members, one for each of said main supports; and in which said anchoring means comprise at least four anchor devices, two adjacent one of said main supports and detachably securable to one of said auxiliary support members and two others adjacent the other of said main supports and detachably securable to the other of said auxiliary support members. 